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A MIGHTY ENDEAVOR

D-DAY 1944, FROM ENGLAND TO NORMANDY

Jun. 17-24, 2028

An American 82d Airborne paratrooper statue hangs from the church at Sainte-Mère-Église, honoring America’s paratroopers who liberated the town on D-Day.

Overview

A MIGHTY ENDEAVOR: D-DAY 1944, FROM ENGLAND TO NORMANDY

June 17-24, 2028

 

This fully guided and immersive expedition will explore the people and places of Operation OVERLORD, the June 1944 invasion of Normandy that began Europe’s liberation from Nazi rule. In this unique and compelling itinerary, we will approach the invasion as the Allies did. We will start with the political and military strategic leadership in England, cross the Channel to Caen, walk the beaches and cliffs of Normandy, and follow the path of liberation to Pairs! If desired, you will have the opportunity to portray a renowned (or reviled) figure from history for a fully interactive experience. You’ll have plenty of time to explore these iconic sites and enjoy the summer splendor of these European destinations.  


Long before they launched across the Channel, the Allies transformed Great Britain into a vast armed camp, with millions of soldiers, sailors and airmen poised to assault Hitler’s Fortress Europa. We begin in London, examining the War Rooms of Winston Churchill’s Cabinet along with centuries of history and culture in the capital of the British Empire. Departing London, we will visit the Imperial War Museum at the WWII airbase, RAF Duxford, as well as the university town of Cambridge and the nearby Cambridge American Cemetery. Next, is a visit to the grounds of Bletchley Park where, secret for decades, the ULTRA codebreakers worked tirelessly for allied victory. Our evening will be in the royal town of Windsor, next to its iconic castle. After a morning on your own in Windsor, we are off to Portsmouth, on the Channel coast, where we will discuss seaborne preparations, and visit the invasion headquarters of Dwight Eisenhower at Southwick House. From there we board the large, modern MV Normandie for the crossing to the beaches of France!

 

The events of June 6, 1944, continue to inspire long after the guns have fallen silent. The largest invasion in history, on the isolated Normandy coast, drastically altered the conduct of the war and demonstrated the unflinching resolve of freedom-loving peoples. This D-Day tour will bring guests to the beaches, cliffs and fields; and villages, towns and cities where the Greatest Generation made their most indelible mark. From British glidermen at Pegasus Bridge, to the American infantrymen assaulting the beaches at Bloody Omaha; from American paratroopers jumping behind enemy lines at Ste Mere Eglise and Brecourt Manor to the Rangers climbing the cliffs at Pointe du Hoc to the building of the artificial harbors at Arromanches. And so many other iconic sites.

 

After six weeks in the bocage hedgerows, the allied armies broke out in Operation COBRA in late July and swept south and west around the German army before turning east to encircle them and move on to Paris. We will follow this advance to its conclusion at the Falaise-Argentan Gap in mid-August. The culmination of the Operation COBRA breakout was the capture of Paris in late August 1944. We will trace the route of allied soldiers from Normandy across the plains to the French capital. Our expedition will end on arrival in Paris so that you can begin your journey home or enjoy the City of Light on your own.

your expedition leaders

Jonathan Fursman

Claire Fursman

all normandy expedition dates

$1,000 per person

StartJune 17, 2028
EndJune 24, 2028
Book Now

$1,000 per person

Book Now

Expedition Itinerary

  • Saturday, June 17, 2028

    • Arrive in London from various locations.
    • Welcome lunch at the hotel.
    • After lunch, we will conduct a walking tour of central London where we will see the iconic sites around Westminster, discuss the major strategic events leading up to 1944, and pick-up some extra British history along the way.
    • Visit the Churchill War Rooms for a self-guided audio tour of the underground bunker where Winston Churchill and his War Cabinet directed the British war effort. Locked away immediately after Nazi surrender, this incredible Imperial War Museum exhibit is now a gateway into history.
    • Lunch and dinner on your own.
    • London Hotel: Marriott St. Ermin’s, London (or similar).
  • Friday, June 23, 2028

    • Breakfast at our hotel.
    • Visit the enchanting island of Mont St Michel – explore the ancient monastery and narrow streets and alleys of this amazing village perched on a rock in the bay.
    • Lunch on your own along the ramparts on Mont St Michel.
    • We will enjoy a group farewell dinner at one of the restaurants in Bayeux.
    • Hotel: Tardif Noble Guest House (or similar).

Inclusions

  • Eight days and seven nights of in-depth guided tours.
  • Full-time professional historian or military strategist.
  • Full-time tour director for personalized tour support.
  • All museum and other entrance fees per itinerary.
  • Daily transportation on luxury bus.
  • Transportation across the English Channel.
  • Meals as identified on the itinerary, including all breakfasts.

Exclusions

  • Flights to/from Europe.
  • Airport transfers.
  • Alcohol, unless specifically included in the itinerary.

Please note that our expedition begins in London and ends in Paris.

Pricing

Reserve your space on this expedition with a deposit of $1,000 per person today!

  • Per person pricing will be available on this page 12-18 months before the expedition start date.
  • We will contact reserved guests when we have released updated trip pricing.
  • You may cancel or update your booking with no penalty when we release trip pricing.
  • All deposits will be applied to your final invoice.
Jonathan Fursman and Claire Fursman, Expedition Leader and Directors at Essential History Expeditions

Jon & Claire Fursman

Seoul, South Korea

Jonathan is a retired U.S. Army Infantry officer who commissioned out of Cornell Army ROTC with a BA in Government. Jon also holds a Master of Public Policy from The George Washington University.



On active duty, Jon deployed as a combat leader to Iraq and Afghanistan multiple times, including as a rifle company commander in Baghdad in 2007. He was also an Assistant Professor of Defense & Strategic Studies at the United States Military Academy, West Point, NY for three years where he became an expert at leading staff rides. He later worked in Strategic Plans & Policy at U.S. Africa Command, commanded a Stryker infantry battalion, and served in the Republic of Korea for four years.



Today, he blends his professional military and teaching experience with his education in military strategy and public policy to deliver unique, thoughtful expeditions for EHE guests around the world.

Claire is a former U.S. Army Medical Service officer who graduated from Indiana University of Pennsylvania with a BS in Environmental Science and a master’s in human relations from University of Oklahoma.



After leaving active duty, Claire volunteered with local spouse’s club groups, PTSOs, and other organizations that support military spouses and local schools. She regularly served as president, secretary, and other chairs in military community organizations. Most recently, she worked at the Department of Defense high school in Korea as a substitute teacher, and in the main office and counseling suite.



Claire serves as an expedition director and the company social media manager. She is excited to share her love of travel and to build and support the many exceptional EHE expeditions.

View of the HMS Belfast on the River Thames in London, with the Tower Bridge in the background.
Sign on the side of building in London for Prime Minister Winston Churchill's Cabinet War Rooms.

Sunday, June 18, 2028

  • Breakfast and load luggage for departure from London.
  • At Bletchley Park, we’ll visit the ULTRA Code Breakers compound — a vital component in Allied victory and real-life inspiration for the Oscar-winning film The Imitation Game.
  • Lunch on your own at Bletchley.
  • Next, we’ll visit the Cambridge American Cemetery where more than 3,000 are buried and another 5,000 commemorated. We will visit this supremely beautiful resting place as we travel from Bletchley to Duxford.
  • We will visit Duxford Airfield, now a unit of the Imperial War Museum. This base was critical for the RAF in the Battle of Britain in 1940, and then for the American 8th Air Force in the bombing campaign of Germany. Today, we will see planes and other equipment from throughout the 20th century, but with a major focus on WWII. The American Aircraft Hall is simply magnificent. We may also see actual WWII planes flying off the airfield.
  • Finally, we will stop for the night in the historic royal town of Windsor and spend the night near the castle’s walls.
  • Enjoy walking Windsor and a dinner on your own.
  • Windsor Hotel: The Christopher Wren (or similar).
View of Bletchley Park where Essential History Expeditions will visit the ULTRA Code Breakers compound — a vital component in Allied victory and real-life inspiration for the Oscar-winning film The Imitation Game.
View of Windsor Castle, home of the British Royal Family.

Monday, June 19, 2028

  • Breakfast and load luggage for departure from Windsor.
  • First, we drive south to the coast to visit Southwick House, the Headquarters of the Allied High Command in the days before the invasion, and the location where, in the dark hours of night with torrential rains beating against the windows, Ike made the decision — “Let’s go!”
  • Group lunch in Southwick Village at the Golden Lion, a traditional British pub with a rich history of visits from legendary leaders such as Montgomery and Eisenhower.
  • We’ll board the MV Normandie for the Channel Crossing from Portsmouth to Caen-Ouistreham, France. The Brittany Ferries fleet of ships are modern seagoing ships similar to a small cruise ship with restaurants, bars, and entertainment options.
  • Dinner on your own on the ship.
  • Arriving in the port of Ouistreham, we will drive to our lodgings in Bayeux.
  • Normandy hotel: Tardif Noble Guest House (or similar).
Photo of the Map Room in Southwick House, near the primary embarkation point for D-Day and the cross channel invasion on June 6, 1944.
Eisenhower speaks to paratroopers of the 101st Airborne Division at RAF Greenham Common on June 5, 1944 just hours before they jumped into Normandy.

Tuesday, June 20, 2028

  • Breakfast at our hotel.
  • First we will visit Pegasus Bridge, where glidermen of the British 6th Airborne Division captured the key bridge over the Orne and liberated the first French house in the invasion – today’s Café Gondree, where you can enjoy a coffee and may meet the owner, Madame Arlette Gondree, who saw the invasion as a little girl.
  • The critical capture of the Merville Battery by British paratroopers is our next stop. An American C-17 that dropped 101st Airborne troopers on D-Day is a must-see part of this visit.
  • Visit the nearby Ranville British Cemetery, where the first Allied killed in action are buried. (We will also visit cemeteries of the Germans and Americans to see how each remembers their fallen).
  • We will enjoy a box lunch in Ranville.
  • Drive along SWORD Beach.
  • We will visit Courselles, the heart of JUNO Beach, where we will discuss the Canadians, Free French and the French Resistance in the success of the invasion.
  • Arromanches is next, the site of GOLD Beach, another British landing site for the 50th Infantry Division and the location of the British Mulberry artificial harbor.
  • Dinner on your own in Bayeux.
  • Normandy hotel: Tardif Noble Guest House (or similar).
Dr. Brian DeToy guides an Essential History Expedition group on JUNO Beach covering actions on D-Day in Normandy.
View of the beautiful Gothic style Notre-Dame de Bayeux Cathedral dating to 1077 and located in the heart of Bayeux, Normandy, France.

Wednesday, June 21, 2028

  • Breakfast at our hotel.
  • At the UTAH Beach Memorial with 4th Infantry Division, we will see where General Teddy Roosevelt Jr led the first Americans ashore on June 6.
  • Next is the 101st Airborne Division landings near Ste Marie du Mont, and the Band of Brothers of Easy Company, including their leader Dick Winters, at Brecourt Manor. The monuments to these men are a perfect place to examine the minute tactical battle detail of Americans in combat.
  • In the quaint town of St Mere Eglise, we will discuss the 82nd Airborne Division in the first French village liberated by Americans. You will have the opportunity to visit the church, which beautifully commemorates the airborne paratroopers, and walk the town.
  • Lunch on your own in St Mere Eglise.
  • At La Fiere Bridge we will observe the tough defense by the 82nd Airborne Division to hold the town of Ste Mere Eglise and secure the crossings over the Merderet River.
  • Next, we will visit Graignes, a little known but desperate fight by 82nd Airborne that demonstrates the bravery of the American paratrooper, French sacrifice, and Nazi brutality.
  • We will stop in La Cambe to see the German Normandy Cemetery. The somber landscape stands in contrast to those of the Allies although the remembrance remains extremely moving.
  • A walk through the ancient center of Bayeux will include the glorious cathedral and medieval streets.
  • Dinner on your own in Bayeux.
  • Normandy hotel: Tardif Noble Guest House (or similar).
Bronze sculpture of American soldiers storming ashore from a Higgins landing craft at Utah Beach, Normandy. This powerful memorial honors the U.S. 4th Infantry Division troops who landed here on D-Day, June 6, 1944.
Statue of Major Dick Winters near Sainte-Marie-du-Mont, Normandy, France honoring the courage of the American paratrooper on D-Day.

Thursday, June 22, 2028

  • Breakfast at our hotel.
  • Our first stop is one of the most dramatic landscapes of the entire region! Marvel at the climb of the 2nd Ranger Battalion up the cliffs of Pointe du Hoc. The capture of the guns here was critical to invasion success.
  • At the western end of OMAHA Beach, we will discuss the 29th Infantry Division at Vierville. This is the area where the fierce landing scenes in Saving Private Ryan took place. It is also the location of the remains of the American Mulberry artificial harbor.
  • Group lunch at a restaurant overlooking OMAHA Beach.
  • Moving to eastern OMAHA Beach, we will see the incredibly difficult high-ground facing the 1st Infantry Division at Colleville and we will follow their climb to the top of the bluffs for success against great odds.
  • Atop the bluffs we will visit one of the most memorable, beautiful and awe-inspiring sites in American military history – the incomparable Normandy American Cemetery. The bus is available to drive those who do not wish to hike up the ridge.
  • Dinner on your own in Bayeux.
  • Normandy hotel: Tardif Noble Guest House (or similar).
View from a German command post at Pointe du Hoc in Normandy, France, a key site of the D-Day landings during World War II.
Dr. Brian DeToy pays his respects at the Normandy American Cemetery above OMAHA Beach, site of D-Day landings in WWII.
Water reflects the image of Mont-Saint-Michel Abbey, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, in Normandy, France.

Saturday, June 24, 2028

  • We will load luggage and depart after breakfast.
  • Our first stop are the majestic heights of Mont Ormel, where the Polish Armoured Division battled the SS Panzer divisions to close the famed Falaise-Argentan gap in the last days of the Normandy campaign. From the vista we will discuss the results of the two-month battle.
  • We will arrive in Paris at approximately 3pm and will drop guests at a central location, the Gare du Nord. This is equally central for those wishing to stay in Paris, return to London by the Eurostar train, or to head to Charles de Gaulle International Airport. Please plan ongoing travel accordingly.
  • Expedition complete.
Panoramic sunset view of Paris from Notre Dame Cathedral with the Eiffel Tower and Notre-Dame Cathedral gargoyles, the final destination of our D-Day England to Normandy journey.